Ignorance is bliss—a concept the Australian indie pop trio, daste., composed of Callum, Braxton and Tyler, embodies in their R&B/soul-influenced track “Wayside” off their new album dasteWORLD, released Feb. 19, 2025. Callum MacDonalad, a member of daste., mentions in regard to the track that in order to keep moving forward and avoid old patterns, you must learn to tune out the noise and negativity for self-preservation.
The relaxed indie pop/R&B song has a unique origin story and, shockingly enough, didn’t originally hold a spot on the album. “Wayside” was born from a boundless studio session that fostered the band’s creative energy without any pressure. Callum said that this exploratory and open approach, encouraged by Maxwell Byrne—an Australian artist/producer daste. worked with—was a game-changer. Sometimes, adopting a go-with-the-flow mindset in the studio can lead to the unexpected, creating tracks worth a million plays. MacDonald elaborates:
“It’s crazy to think that, at the time, we didn’t even realize how special ‘Wayside’ would become. I remember spinning through demos we’d made over the last few years and when I played ‘Wayside’ I sent it to the guys and said ‘Why isn’t this on the album?’. It’s moments like these, full of spontaneity and collaboration, that really make this album what it is.”
“Wayside” explores genre-bending by combining the catchy, electronic sounds of indie pop with the soulful, jazzy qualities of R&B. The groovy, simple beat and electronic elements combine to deliver a smooth-sailing track with clear, purposeful lyricism. The first verse, “The less I know the better / My thoughts can go wherever / Stay inside, don’t rewind / You can’t control the weather,” sets the tone, emphasizing the importance of preserving your energy for bigger things rather than wasting it on the uncontrollable and negative void.
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